Grain cleaner



Jan. 5 1926. 1,568,618

' H.E.PFORR GRAIN CLEANER File d April 8. 1924 s Sheets-Sheet 1- Iadvent w v I Jim. 5 ,1926.

H. E. PFORR GRAIN CLEANER Filed April 8, 1924 .5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 51926.

H. E. PFORR GRAIN CLEANER Filed April 8, 1924 v 3 Sheets-sheaf 3 '1 IIIA compressor or blower 23 is conventionally shown and is employed forthe purpose of delivering air under pressure to the separating chamber21 through means of a pipe 24. The pipe may have a suitable gate 25 bywhich the passage through the pipe may be restricted to regulate the airto be delivered to the separating chamber. The pipe 9% preferably entersthe separating chamber at an otherwise closed end near the top thereofand the opposite end of the chamber 21 is open and receives near its topwall the grain guide or chute 20 in order that the open end of the chutewill be in line with the discharge end of the blower which will forceair against the grain and chaff entering the separating chamber, as hasbeen described.

The bottom of the separating chamber has a plurality of oppositelyinclined walls 26 and 27 intended to collect grain at differentlocalities as to the length of the separating chamber, it beingunderstood that heavy grain will be propelled to a greater distanceagainst the action of the air blast than the lighter grain, and hencethe heavier or perfect grain will be received by the hopper that isfarthest from the chute 20 and directed therefrom through openings 28 inthe bottom of the separating chamber to the spout 29, from which thegrain may be bagged or collected, as is ordinarilv done with devices ofthis kind. The lighter grain will, of course, not have the velocity ofthe heavier grain and it wil be arrested by the air blast so that itwill be arrested by the battles 27 and be diverted thereby into thehoppers and pass through openings 80 in the bottom of the separatingchamber, from whence it will reach the spout 31 for collection.

The end of the separating chamber opposite the air pipe and below theend of the chute 20 is open and chaff, straw and light materials will beforced from the open end thereof in order that the grain that hasbeencollected will be clean and free of such chafl,

Any suitable means may, of course, be employed for driving the powershaft and the inventor does not wish to be limited with respect to thesefeatures. Figure 1 shows appropriate belting for operating the mechanismfrom the power shaft, but the inventor does not wish to be limited withrespect to the details of confiruotion in this regard.

In order to direct grain that is descending in the separating chambertoward the bottom thereof, a series of transverse and verticallydisposed plates 27 are arranged between the two side members 27*constituting a frame which may be applied to the interior of theseparating chamber, and this frame may be supported by the inclinedsides of the hoppers 26 and 27. These vertically disposed plates 27 willserve to prerent undue agitation of the grain after it has lost thevelocity imparted thereto by the belts 14 and 17, as the plates willserve to guard the grain against the action of the air blast which isrelied upon for cleaning the grain and retarding its travel.

I claim:

1. In a grain separator, conveyer belts arranged in proximity to eachother and coacting to carry grain between them, to project the same intoa separating chamber means for driving the belts in unison and atuniform speed, a converging grain guide in position to receive grainfrom the belts, a separating chamber into which the grain guidedischarges, an air supplying means at the opposite end of the saidseparating chamber for forcing air against the grain entering theseparating chamber, a plurality of spaced grain collecting means at thebottom of the said separating chamber and discharge chutes connectedwith pairs of the grain collecting means, substantially as described.

2. In a grain separator, means for forcing grain through a convergingchute which terminates in the open end of a separating chamber, meansfor forcing air in a direction approximately opposite the small end ofthe chute and toward the open end of the I separating chamber,collectors at different distances from the means for delivering graininto the separating chamber and means therein which individually willreceive grain of diflerent specific gravity, and guards over thecollectors for preventing agitation of grain in its descent to the collectors.

3. In a grain separator, conveyer belts arranged in proximity to eachother on different planes and coac-ting to carry grain between them,means for driving the belt in unison and at uniform speed, a separatingchamber into the upper portion of which the grain is projected by theconveyer belts, means for delivering air under pressure to theseparating chamberin a direction opposite that traversed by the graindelivered to the separating chamber, and a sectional bottom in thechamber the sections of which are at different distances from the graindelivery section of the separating chamber for collecting grain ofdifferent specific gravity, the discharge end of he means for projectingthe grain into the separating chamber and the discharge-end of the airblast conduit being in line With one another and above the means forcollecting the grain projected into the separating chamber.

4. In a grain separator, a hopper forreceiving grain located above apair of-rotary carriers, a way having a portion- .ofits open larger endopposite the carrier belts,

said 'way'converging from its receiving end 1 to its discharging end, aseparating chamber which is open at the end into which the way extends,a blast fan, means for rojecting' a blast of air into the aforesaid openended chamber and toward the open end of the Way, means for receivinggrain of different densities which extend partially up- .ward in theseparating chamber providing a plurality of compartments, pairs of saidcompartments having eduetion openings for the grain, and chutesunderlying said eduction openings whereby grain of difierent specifiegravity may be separated.

HENRY ERNEST PFORR.

